Chris Beard was hired in 2021 and is one of the University of Texas’ highest-paid employees.
Alex Nguyen
Alex Nguyen is a general assignment reporter with a focus on criminal justice. Before joining the newsroom in 2025, she was a breaking news reporter at The Dallas Morning News. She previously was a reporting fellow for the Tribune and a reporting intern at Bloomberg News. A graduate of Columbia University’s Stabile Center for Investigative Journalism, Alex was raised mostly in Vancouver, Canada, and she has reported for various regional and national outlets there. She speaks Vietnamese and conversational Spanish and will be based in Austin.
Posted in
Courts
Alex Jones files for bankruptcy after juries award Sandy Hook parents almost $1.5 billion
A handful of the Texas-based conspiracy theorist’s companies already filed for bankruptcy. Earlier this year, a Texas jury awarded Sandy Hook parents $49 million in a defamation case against Jones.
Posted in
Uvalde school shooting
Mother of 10-year-old Uvalde shooting victim sues school district, police and gun manufacturer
The lawsuit accuses Daniel Defense, the manufacturer of the shooter’s weapon, of marketing that primes “young buyers to purchase AR-15-style rifles as soon as they are legally able.”
Posted in
Economy
Tom Brady, Steph Curry and other celebrities face Texas investigation for endorsements of bankrupt crypto firm
This probe is part of the state’s wider investigation into FTX’s multibillion-dollar bankruptcy.
Posted in
Economy
Cryptocurrency firm FTX’s fall pains industry, but Texas stays optimistic
FTX’s bankruptcy has been a painful setback for the industry. But many legislators, investors and enthusiasts remain believers in making Texas crypto’s top destination.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2023
Texas lawmakers target property taxes, election fraud and transgender people in new legislation ahead of 2023 session
Thousands of bills are expected to be filed for the legislative session that begins in January. Lawmakers are expected to have a budget surplus when they return to Austin.
Posted in
Politics
Five Texas cities vote to decriminalize having small amounts of marijuana
Voters in Denton, San Marcos, Killeen, Elgin and Harker Heights overwhelmingly supported the local ballot propositions to decriminalize low-level possession. These moves followed Austin voters’ similar decision in May.
Posted in
Health care
Texas could get $276 million from opioid settlement with CVS Pharmacy
Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office announced that the state is signing on to the $5 billion proposed settlement but hasn’t yet disclosed how its share of the money would be spent if the deal is finalized.
Posted in
Higher Education
Paxton, Cornyn and Cruz prod U.S. Supreme Court to end affirmative action in college admissions
The high court heard oral arguments Monday in two cases brought by a group led by the same man who previously lost an affirmative action case against the University of Texas at Austin.
Posted in
Texas 2022 Elections
College voters held back by Texas election law, lack of on-campus polling sites
Many Texas universities don’t have early-voting locations on campus. And state laws regarding voter ID and registration make it hard to turn out younger voters, advocates say.
